Azzoun

Those look nice!

Oh, like USS Boston 1884 -- yeah, I like that suggestion, too!
 

 
Or USS Petrel 1889.

 

Hi, 

Congrats on the purchase!  Just curious, do you have any machining background?  If not, do you have a strategy for teaching yourself?   I ask because I own a lathe but have little experience.  
 
Joshua

Wow!   Think she'll make the trip to New London? or ModelCon?    I'd love to see it in person!
 
Joshua

Wow!   Think she'll make the trip to New London? or ModelCon?    I'd love to see it in person!
 
Joshua

Your build log is primarily for you to share your work and seek assistance.   If there's time between updates, that's more the normal than the exception.   Take your time and enjoy the process, there's no hurry.    Contribute to your build log in a way that serves you, your audience will chime in as they can, if they see it.     If you want more interactions with members on this site, visit their build logs or discussion threads and chime in.     You should check out the New London, Connecticut Northeast Ship Modelers' Conference  on Youtube.  
 
Joshua 

Hey Lego!
 
Looks like you're learning a lot on this build and that's the point!  Despite anything you may be unsatisfied with, when the build is done, it'll be hardly noticeable, especially to those who don't build models.    Keel looks nice and straight now!
 
So, couple fileable items for next time is along with making sure the keel is straight before you start, before you glue in the bulkheads (cross members to the false keel), you'll want to make sure they fit square to the keel.    
 
Is your false deck now glued to the tops of the keel and bulkheads now?   The back section should align with edges of bulkheads like in the front.   You'll definitely want to straighten that out.    If you used the white pva wood glue, rubbing alcohol will dissolve the glue and unbind it if you need to re-do.   
 
To answer your question, the deck planking should be smooth and flush with the other planks, so you'll need to keep sanding to achieve that.  
 
Joshua 

1 - Revell Constitution that passed away from my ex-wife waving a towel at the smoke detector.    1/2 way through the model, I discovered wood model kits and loved the idea of working with material similar to the real thing.  Forced my way to finishing the constitution, been building wood ever since.   However, I do have a few steel hull kits, working on the 1/350 Mogami.  

Hi, 

Congrats on the purchase!  Just curious, do you have any machining background?  If not, do you have a strategy for teaching yourself?   I ask because I own a lathe but have little experience.  
 
Joshua

For those inexperienced in using the lathe there is a series for beginners by You Tuber Blondihacks https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY67-4BrEae9Ad91LPRIhcLJM9fO-HJyN. While her series is concerned with metal work on the hobby lathe the techniques are applicable to wood as well. As machinists usually work to closer tolerances than woodworkers mastering these skills will probably improve your results in wood.

Being that a machinist's lathe is about the most versatile machine there is, there's a tremendous amount that can be learned about operating one. As a self-teaching lathe operator who has only scratched the surface of what can be known, the best advice anyone ever gave me about leaning to run my 12" Atlas-Craftsman lathe was to get a copy of The Manual of Lathe Operation & Machinists Tables published by the Atlas Press Co., maker of the Atlas-Craftsman lathes. It is not only specific to the Atlas-Craftsman lathes, but to all machinist's lathes in general and has all the information one could need. Fortunately, the 23rd Edition (which I think was the last) published in 1967 is available as a free PDF download from VintageMachinery.org. See: Atlas Press Co. - Publication Reprints - Manual of Lathe Operation & Machinists Tables (MOLO) 23rd Edition | VintageMachinery.org  Just below the lower left hand corner of th picture of the front of the book ("Publication Preview") is a link: "View PDF" in blue printing. Click on that and the whole book should come up on your screen. It may take a few seconds because it's a long 273 page download. Scroll down to read it. 
 
There are also some excellent U.S. military training manuals which are available as free PDF's you can google up. I found those very helpful because the military does an excellent job of teaching the average idiot like me who knows nothing about a subject how to do highly technical things. 

Hi, 

Congrats on the purchase!  Just curious, do you have any machining background?  If not, do you have a strategy for teaching yourself?   I ask because I own a lathe but have little experience.  
 
Joshua

Hi, 

Congrats on the purchase!  Just curious, do you have any machining background?  If not, do you have a strategy for teaching yourself?   I ask because I own a lathe but have little experience.  
 
Joshua

Hi, 

Congrats on the purchase!  Just curious, do you have any machining background?  If not, do you have a strategy for teaching yourself?   I ask because I own a lathe but have little experience.  
 
Joshua

Hi Drew, welcome to Model Ship World!   This is a great community and very active forum.   I'd like to also offer if you're interested in some in person comradery with ship modeling, the Philadelphia Ship Model Society meets at 1pm on the third Sunday of the month at the Coast Guard Station.   Happy to fill you in on any details if you're interested, just send me a message.   Good luck on your Lightening build!

Joshua Fichmann
https://www.philadelphiashipmodelsociety.com/
 

Hi Drew, welcome to Model Ship World!   This is a great community and very active forum.   I'd like to also offer if you're interested in some in person comradery with ship modeling, the Philadelphia Ship Model Society meets at 1pm on the third Sunday of the month at the Coast Guard Station.   Happy to fill you in on any details if you're interested, just send me a message.   Good luck on your Lightening build!

Joshua Fichmann
https://www.philadelphiashipmodelsociety.com/
 

Hi Drew, welcome to Model Ship World!   This is a great community and very active forum.   I'd like to also offer if you're interested in some in person comradery with ship modeling, the Philadelphia Ship Model Society meets at 1pm on the third Sunday of the month at the Coast Guard Station.   Happy to fill you in on any details if you're interested, just send me a message.   Good luck on your Lightening build!

Joshua Fichmann
https://www.philadelphiashipmodelsociety.com/
 

Hi Drew, welcome to Model Ship World!   This is a great community and very active forum.   I'd like to also offer if you're interested in some in person comradery with ship modeling, the Philadelphia Ship Model Society meets at 1pm on the third Sunday of the month at the Coast Guard Station.   Happy to fill you in on any details if you're interested, just send me a message.   Good luck on your Lightening build!

Joshua Fichmann
https://www.philadelphiashipmodelsociety.com/
 

Looks like you're off to a good start.   

Good luck with the build George, I own this kit and will be following with interest.   

Looks like you're off to a good start.   

Good luck with the build George, I own this kit and will be following with interest.   

Good luck with the build George, I own this kit and will be following with interest.   

Good luck with the build George, I own this kit and will be following with interest.   

Check out this video discussion on making sails by NRG Director, Ron Neilson.